If the total caloric content of the autotrophic organisms in a marine ecosystem were 250,000 kilocalories (kcal), then the expected caloric value for the trophic-level consumers at the second level would be 2,500 kcal.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The expected caloric value for consumers at the second trophic level is usually less than the caloric content of autotrophic organisms they consume, due to energy losses through respiration, waste production, and incomplete digestion. A typical estimate for the transfer efficiency between trophic levels is around 10%, so the expected caloric value for consumers at the second level would be around 25,000 kcal, not 2,500 kcal.

If the Total Caloric Content of the Autotrophic Organisms in a Marine